Today's Watchdog column is the latest about military veterans and the poor treatment they've received from their government when they apply for benefits for service-connected disabilities.

Air Force veteran Stephen Berger, who lives near Jim Thorpe, has been waiting about seven months for a ruling on what should be a slam dunk convalescence claim for temporary full disability coverage while he recovers from surgery for a service-connected ailment.

He also has other claims pending. He is seeking additional benefits for some ailments the VA already has recognized as being from his service at Dover Air Force Base, including a knee problem and seizures and tremors. Berger also is seeking new benefits for a toe injury. It looks like he's in for a long fight, and he doesn't know if he has the stamina to handle it.

You may know Berger as "Hot Dog Steve," from when he owned hot dog stands in downtown Allentown and Northampton and other places, including Merchant's Square mall and outside Miller Supply, in the 1980s and 90s.

Not being a physician, I can't say for sure what the outcome should be of his medical claims. But I know he makes some good points. And I know for certain he shouldn't have to wait seven months to get an answer on what should be a simple claim for convalescence pay.

Today's Watchdog column also cites an audit from the VA Office of Inspector General earlier this year. That audit looked at how the VA handled claims for 100 percent disability coverage, including claims for temporary coverage like what Berger is seeking.

The audit found the VA had erred in processing claims from about 27,500 veterans.

The inspector general found that in some cases, legitimate claims were denied. It found that in other cases, meritless claims were approved, wasting government funds.

Given those findings, I can see why the VA would be cautious in making decisions. But that’s not an excuse for not taking any action at all.

The inspector general projected that if changes are not made in handling claims, the VA would overpay veterans $1.1 billion over the next five years.

The VA’s acting under secretary for benefits disputed some of the audit findings, including the projected loss and the error rate. But the secretary agreed with calls for additional employee training and changes in how claims are handled.

Veterans are entitled to temporary full disability if they require surgery/recovery for their service-connected disabilities, such as Berger’s surgery this spring.

There are limits on how long the temporary full disability is paid, though. Auditors found the VA had failed to follow-up on many temporary disability cases to ensure veterans still qualified for coverage. Those errors were made in some cases because follow-up medical exams were not scheduled.

A veteran who temporarily was classified as 100 percent disabled in May 2004 never had a follow-up exam because VA staff failed to request one. In 2010, at the request of the inspector general’s office, an exam was done and determined the veteran’s treatment had ended in July 2004. That meant the veteran had been paid nearly $150,000 in improper disability benefits.

The inspector general’s report says the VA also granted permanent total disability to about 4,900 veterans “without adequate medical evidence.”

In about another 3,500 cases, the VA failed to grant additional benefits that were supported by medical evidence.

The report cites the case of a veteran who was classified as 20 percent disabled because of diabetes, but who then was denied a claim for the amputation of both feet. Auditors said the amputation should have been covered based on evidence from a private physician.

If you are a veteran or family member trying to get benefits, these organizations can help.